Peak District Holiday Cottages

Welcome to Britain's first National Park, the Peak District National
Park, a sprawling mass of rolling hills and remote moorland
peppered with rocky outcrops and limestone caves. For lovers of the
'great outdoors' it's truly paradise found!

Step out from your Peak District cottage and discover landscapes
ripe for rambling, rock climbing, mountain biking and more. Explore
the gentle hills of the White Peak or the peat bogs and wild,
windswept scenery of the Dark Peak. Cycle, ride or walk along the
traffic-free Tissington Trail. Go underground and enjoy the thrills
of potholing among dark, spooky caves. Or float across the skies by
hot air balloon and soak up the views from higher ground. Where
else in the world would you find such a wonderful mix of
activities?

Fantastic heritage in the Peak District

Add to this a thriving cultural scene and a fascinating
heritage. Find pre-historic sites such as Arbor Low and exquisite
stately homes like Haddon Hall and Chatsworth House (Austen's
inspiration for Pemberley in her masterpiece 'Pride &
Prejudice'). Come evening, snuggle up in your Peak District
cottage or enjoy a night on the town at Buxton's stunning Opera
House. And don't miss a stop in Bakewell for a generous slice
of that legendary pudding!

Read more about the Peak District

Choose a wonderful cottage in the Peak District

This highly popular region is crammed with top-quality Peak
District holiday rentals, from small, stone cottages in sleepy
villages to big, sprawling farmhouses off-the-beaten track - ideal
for the larger party and often with wonderful walks from the door.
If your dates are flexible and you're not tied to school
holidays, take advantage of off-season breaks - travel midweek or
arrange a get-together with friends over a long weekend - check
your chosen Peak District holiday let for exact details and
seasonal offers. Or see what accommodation in the Peak District we
have right at the last minute - grabbing a late bargain means room
in your pocket for a few special treats during your stay! Whenever
you plan to visit, you're sure to find your perfect holiday
rental in the Peak District. Read on and discover each one listed
below, or refine your search and check live availability of all our
holiday lets in the Peak District using the map and tick boxes
above.

The first National Park

The Peak District sits in the middle of some of the North West
of England's large cities, such as Manchester, Sheffield and
Derby, and offers some of the most beautiful and unspoilt
countryside to be found anywhere in the UK.

A land of great contrasts, the northern-most part of the region
is characterised by a rugged, rather austere beauty known as the
Dark Peak; a vast swathe of rugged heather moorland, and weathered,
gritstone tors. Further to the south, a high limestone plateau
signals the start of a more gently contoured landscape of deep,
green valleys, rich farmland and mile upon mile of dry stone walls;
the White Peak.

The Peak District is home to the country's original and
most-visited National Park. It provides a natural playground for
those with a taste for the great outdoors, with walking, cycling,
caving, potholing, horse riding, fishing and golf all readily
available. In and around the National Park, pretty market towns
observe age-old traditions such as the ancient custom of 'well
dressing', historic country estates await your visit,
spectacular natural caverns are some of the finest in the world and
a whole host of natural and man made attractions are on the
doorstep. A Peak District cottage holiday is within easy reach of
many large conurbations yet remains a world away from the hustle
and bustle of daily life.

Popular places to holiday in the Peak District

Towns on the edges of the Peak District National Park offer
shopping, cultural attractions and fine dining. A Peak District
cottage holiday in the north of the region allows discovery of the
dramatic scenery of the 'High Peak'
area; the genteel, former spa town of Buxton, with its
renovated Opera House; Glossop or Hayfield, synonymous
with its jazz festival and much used as a starting point for
Pennine Way walks. Smaller villages offer scenery and history in
abundance. Pretty Castleton in the
Hope
Valley nestles in a picturesque spot and is the centre
for the region's spectacular cave systems such as Blue John,
Speedwell and Peak Caverns; tiny Eyam bears witness to
the terrible suffering of the Plague centuries ago.

Those opting for a Peak District cottage amid the gentler
scenery of the southern part of the region will be rewarded with
country towns such as Bakewell, with its
famous puddings and excellent Monday market, Ashbourne, offering
independent shopping, good pubs and a thriving antiques trade, and
Matlock
Bath, which has much to detain the visitor, such as
Gulliver's Kingdom, the cable car ride to the Heights of
Abraham, a trip on the Midlands Railway or a visit to the Peak
District Mining Museum.

Enjoy a scenic walk or climb on your Peak District break

A Peak District cottage is ideal choice for those in search of
an active break. Climbers return time and again to the gritstone
precipices to the east of the National Park, such as the Roaches
and Stanage Edge. Accomplished walkers tackle the Pennine Way,
whilst the less committed wanting no more than a scenic ramble and
a good pub will be spoilt for choice, with routes taking in
tranquil lakes and reservoirs, country parks or picturesque rolling
hills and dales. Enjoy natural beauty spots such as the Dovedale,
with its famous Stepping Stones, the Tissington Trail, Ilam Country
Park, or the unspoilt beauty of hidden dales, such as Lathkilldale
or Bradwell Dale.

Whichever corner of Derbyshire you choose for your Peak District
cottage holiday, you'll find culture and history in abundance.
The region offers some of the finest country homes and gardens,
many of which may already feel familiar thanks to their starring
roles as film locations. Sumptuous Chatsworth House near Bakewell
provided the backdrop for the recent blockbuster Pride and
Prejudice starring Keira Knightley, whilst Lyme Hall in the High
Peak was the location for an earlier BBC adaptation of Jane
Austen's classic novel. The Chatsworth Estate, lying within the
Peak District National Park, is a superb family day out. Often
described as 'The Palace of The Peaks', Chatsworth House is
home to the Duke of Devonshire and is a living museum of priceless
exhibits and furnishings. Immediately surrounding the house are 100
acres of stunning gardens, designed by Sir Joseph Paxton, as well
as a farmyard, woodland adventure playground, and local produce and
crafts on sale. The wider Chatsworth parkland of over 1000 acres,
was planned by Capability Brown and is free for the public to
enjoy, with plenty of scenic riverside and woodland walks. Near
Bakewell, Haddon Hall, a beautiful twelfth century medieval manor
house set in terraced Elizabethan gardens, is widely held to be one
of the best-preserved houses of its era, whilst Lyme Hall and Calke
Abbey at Ticknall near Derby are not to be missed.

Great for parents and kids...

Families will find a Peak District cottage a rewarding place for
a break, with plenty to keep little ones entertained. Visit the
Chestnut Centre, near Edale; discover the
rich geology of the region at the National Stone Centre near
Wirksworth
or the vast, spectacular underground caverns of the Hope Valley.
Alton
Towers, one of the UK's premier theme parks, is on
the fringes of the Peak District, historic Eyam and the scenic
Derwent dams of the Dam Busters fame are a living history lesson,
whilst Carsington Water
provides a great day out, with an adventure play park, canoeing,
sailing and plenty of space for family picnics. Peveril Castle near
Castleton dates back to the days of William the Conqueror; Bolsover
Castle stages re-enactments which children will love, while the
more contemporary attractions of Matlock Bath are within easy
reach.

Peak District cottages offer the ideal holiday destination for
both short breaks and longer stays. Whether as a cosy, off-season
base for long walks and good food or for an action-packed family
summer holiday, a Peak District cottage holiday makes for an
enjoyable getaway.

Detached, romantic cottage set a peaceful location, 2 miles from the village of Longnor in the Peak District National Park. Ground floor accommodation. Open plan living area. Buxton 6 miles. (Ref. 23694)